1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for the dispensing of roll paper i.e. a continuous web of paper stored on a roll. Paper of this type typically is used for paper towels, hand towels, toilet tissue, writing paper, and print paper as used in printing presses, printers and in some office machines for example.
2. General Background
In the dispensing of paper from a roll, there is provided a free end portion or web that unrolls constantly as the roll depletes. This unwinding free end portion of the paper is referred to herein as the web and the free end of the web which is that portion of the paper being consumed at the time that it is unwound. A problem exists in that if the web is not frictionally held in some fashion, it can easily unroll excessively, often wasting a length of the paper web. Another problem that exists is a problem of cleanly and neatly tearing the web after a desired portion of the web has been dispensed from the container.
Various devices have been patented which relate to the dispensing of a web of paper from a roll of for example many feet in length, for example:
U.S. Pat. No. 756,019 issued to M. Hirsch and entitled "Folding Box"; U.S. Pat. No. 1,372,218 issued to F. B. Davidson and entitled "Container"; U.S. Pat. No. 1,387,167 issued to A. S. Peck and entitled "Caddy Box"; U.S. Pat. No. 1,814,200 issued to R. E. Wheat and entitled "Paper Holder"; U.S. Pat. No. 1,866,130 issued to F. Reichel and entitled "Dispensing Carton"; U.S. Pat. No. 1,946,105 issued to A. H. Parlett and entitled "Sanitary Dispensing Cabinet For Surgical Gauze and the Like".
Other patents relating to dispensers include U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,564 issued to R. H. Van Saun entitled "Container"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,239 issued to R. C. Ellsworth entitled "Sealed Container"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,337 issued to G. A. Moore entitled "Container and Container Blank Assembly"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,493 issued to H. N. Holcombe entitled "Dispensing Container"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,876,892 issued to F. P. Coons entitled "Dispensing Package"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,135 issued to F. E. Green, Jr. entitled "Dispensing Package and Box For Strip Materials".
U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,125 issued to Johnson entitled "Carton and Package" shows a carton of foldable material adapted for forming a package containing a flat object and a cylindrical object both of which are securely maintained in the finished carton.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,238 issued to Egli and entitled "Reclosable Rectangular Cardboard Box" shows a reclosable cardboard box with a cover that is swingable about a folding line on the upper edge of the rear wall and has on its front edge a downwardly extending strip overlapping the outer upper margin of the front wall when the cover is closed. Slot-shaped recesses are provided at the ends of the folding line between the cover and said strip for yieldably receiving locking projections formed on the front ends of horizontally disposed flaps which extend from said side walls into the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,974 issued to Crim entitled "Bathroom Tissue Dispenser" shows a dispenser for perforated bathroom tissue and the like. The dispenser includes a housing defining a generally cubical chamber adapted to receive a roll of paper tissue. A cover is pivotally connected to the housing, the cover including a support member and a tension member mounted on said housing for combined pivotal and translatory movement between a dispensing position in which the support member and the tension member cooperate to define a dispensing guide path therebetween and a loading position in which the support member and the tension member define a loading slot having a relatively wide cross sectional area permitting easy insertion of a leader portion of the roll of tissue therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,191 issued to Richardson entitled "Dispensing Carton For Plastic Bags" shows a one piece paperboard carton blank that is folded into a rectangular shape for packaging and dispensing from a roll of individual plastic bags, particularly disposable milk bottled for feeding babies. The carton has a double wall front part which includes an inner top rigidly supporting a tab protruding in a direction opposite to the direction of withdrawal of bags from the roll. When a first plastic bag is withdrawn it starts to pull out a succeeding bag to which it is removably attached along a line of perforations. When the center of the perforated edge of the succeeding bag is impaled on the tab, further withdrawal of the succeeding bag is restrained and the first bag is readily separated to facilitate its dispensing and to place the leading edge of the succeeding bag where it may be easily reached for withdrawal.